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Australia's ex-PM blasts his ousters

September 29, 2015

Tony Abbott, who was toppled after barely two years in power, slammed the new government for offering no new policies. He told a Sydney radio station that Australia should stop swapping leaders "like changing clothes."

https://p.dw.com/p/1Gf4c
Ousted Australian PM Tony Abbott
Image: Reuters/A. Meares

When he was ousted two weeks ago, Abbott vowed there would be "no undermining and no sniping" as he moved to the backbenches. But in an interview with Conservative talk radio station 2GB on Tuesday, he hit out at his Liberal Party colleagues and remained adamant that he could have won the next election.

The 57-year-old lost out to Malcolm Turnbull in a leadership contest on September 14th as his popularity hit new lows after several unpopular policies were put in motion.

"The interesting thing is no policy has changed since the change of the prime minister," Abbott told the Sydney-based radio station. "Climate change, the same. Border protection policy, the same. National security policy, the same," he added, referring to several hot-button issues with voters.

Abbott then reminded listeners that Australia had had five prime ministers in five years.

"The last four changes of prime minister, only one has been at the hands of the people," he said, alluding to a similar process in the Labor Party, where PM Labor PM Julia Gillard replaced Kevin Rudd mid-term, and then Rudd in turn replaced Gillard.

"The difficulty...is that government can't do what is necessary for the long-term good of our country if you are subject to death by polls and then utilmately a party-room coup," Abbott added.

New Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull
Many political analysts agree that Turnbull is a stronger candidate to win the next election, due in about a year.Image: Getty Images/S. Postles

Turnbull took over as prime minister a day after the surprise party ballot, promising to reunite the Liberals and turn around the faltering economy.

At the time, rumors surfaced that Abbott would leave politics in disgust. But on Tuesday, he vowed to remain on the backbenches, saying he was "too young to retire."

Abbott reassured listeners that his mental state was okay despite being pushed from the job, saying he knew politics was "a pretty brutal business."

Since his ouster, Turnbull's government has jumped ahead of Labor in the polls. An election is due within 12 months.

mm/msh (AFP, dpa)